Firefox update boosts user tracking protection

Privacy upgrade now available to new users by default.

Mozilla released a new update for its Firefox browser which it claims will boost user privacy and security, while giving the functionality of core offerings a boost.

One of the world’s most popular browsers now comes with Enhanced Tracking Protection, turned on by default, whose goal is to protect users from third party trackers, without causing problems with websites.

The tool will be rolled out automatically to existing users in the coming months. In the meantime, users can turn it on in settings, by choosing the Block Third Party Trackers option.

Mozilla says the new feature will be “practically invisible” to users. The only thing users will notice is a tiny shield icon in the address bar, which means the feature is operational.

The company hopes its new tool will cause a lot of trouble to “thousands of companies” that are known for “tracking people’s every movement”.

“Over the past year, we’ve seen tech companies talk a big game about privacy in response to several global scandals, which have left people feeling increasingly vulnerable,” says Dave Camp, SVP of Firefox.

“It’s unfortunate that this shift had to happen in order for tech companies to take notice. At Firefox, we believe that in order to truly protect people, we need to establish a new standard that puts people’s privacy first. We have been working on setting this standard by offering privacy-related features long before these issues were brought to light. We are more committed than ever to building stronger online protections for everyone, and these new Firefox features are indicative of our dedication to helping people stay safe whenever they use Firefox.”